The Position of Your Head (Where Is Your Head?)

Why’s it important? Let’s begin with the assumption that in evolutionary terms, the human body came to be what it is as a result of a set of environmental and cultural conditions that have not existed for a very long time. The vast majority of Americans no longer have to physically compete for food, nor do we have to actively avoid predators, two primary conditions that contributed to the “survival of the fittest” resulting in the human anatomy we currently share. Historically, for the purpose of survival of a human being, there are few things more important than the most efficient means of transporting the teleceptors (eyes, ears, nose) toward a source of potential danger or sustenance. Because of this, in terms of our evolution (this is not only true of humans, of course) the development of the freedom of the head and neck as we grow and mature is given high biological priority. In his book, Body and Mature Behavior, Dr. Feldenkrais writes extensively of the process of human development and, in that context, of the importance of the placement of the head. Here is an excerpt in which he writes that effective movement of the head is a precursor to the development of consciousness itself, the very thing, one might argue, that most makes us human:

The anatomy of the head determines the conditioning of response to sound, and the reflective response to gravity. Next, the motility of the eyes is integrated into the already existing basic movements of the head. The first manifestations of consciousness will appear with the control of the head which allows the child to follow and direct itself towards moving objects or sources of sound. (p. 113)

He goes on to describe, in the developing infant, the importance of the position of the head to achieve any effective change of physical orientation as well as the ability in a well-functioning child to maintain an efficient head position nearly indefinitely:

Soon afterwards, the head begins to right itself to a special position [a somewhat confusing description of that position is omitted]. At the beginning, the head tends reflexively to this position, in whatever position the body may be. A baby, put on its tummy, lifts its head to this reference position, and remains that way as long as necessary. The tonic muscular contraction is practically [incapable of being fatigued]. With this position of the head is associated the image of oneself in one’s relation to space. And for correct appreciation of spatial relation, all acts involve a brief fixing of the head in it. Standing up, or changing attitude are sensed to be accomplished when the head assumes the reference position. Only after this can a new act be initiated without the reflex impulses contradicting voluntary control. (p 113-114)

In other words, before we can do anything, we have to orient ourselves physically and that orientation is accomplished by a learned reference point of our head that contains the teleceptors and the receptors for our vestibular system. As an organism we are predisposed to finding a “resting” position for our head that least taxes our neck muscles so that we can most easily move the head in any direction. The contraction of the neck muscles is intrinsically related to the habitual contraction of the flexors and extensors in our entire body. A positive or negative change on either side of this equation (the muscles of the neck on one side and the muscles that control our ability to remain upright on the other) elicits the same positive or negative response in the other side. It’s a matter of infinite degrees but many (perhaps most) of us live a life of relatively poor self-use and lack of attention to our physicality. Our habitual physical organization, both in movement and at rest, is affected by this inattention, often resulting in the “poor posture” that so many of us lament. For most of us, the optimal positioning of the head that we knew in our early youth is slowly lost and forgotten. In Body and Mature Behavior, Dr. Feldenkrais goes on to illuminate the detrimental effect of having a poorly aligned head. Here, he speaks of only one of several possible poor head placements:

…once the sunken head posture is acquired, a person will revert to the most awkward and tiresome (to normal people) procedure in turning his head, but will obstinately avoid lifting it into that position from which turning is normally easy. A parallel procedure is observed on the emotional plane, where the immature person uses detour, roundabout ways instead of direct, simple methods. (p. 118)

He’s saying that the more familiar poor head placement becomes, the more difficult it becomes for us to do what would be easiest. As a forward leaning head (or any other misalignment) becomes more familiar than a position that would allow simpler, easier movement of the head and neck, the position of ease of movement becomes more difficult to attain and maintain than a position of inefficiency. This sets up a deteriorating pattern in which our poor self-use and lack comfort steadily increase. The entire system suffers as a result. Conversely, the freer the head and neck, the greater the possibility of freedom in our entire being, both physical and emotional.

And that’s why it’s important. The position of your head and its freedom is a gauge for the freedom and effective use of your entire self. Finding the best position for your head can alleviate neck pain almost instantly. With more effective head placement, back pain will lessen in short order. Breathing will ease and become fuller and deeper. Your entire sense of well-being and personal security will increase as you improve the position of your head.

If you’d like to start that process, come join me on Tuesday, September 4 at The Feldenkrais Institute for my Feldenkrais Method^® workshop, “Where is Your Head?” For more information and to register online with a 5% discount, click here.